The present invention is directed to a power transfer assembly and method for transferring electrical power from a vehicle cab light to a light or lights on or in a cap which is installed on the vehicle.
Various vehicles, such as for example pickup trucks, have a cab for the driver and one or more passengers, and a bed at the rear of the cab for the hauling of cargo and the like. Current laws generally require an elevated brake light which may be viewed from the rear of all vehicles which are to be operated on public streets and roads in addition to the regular brake lights adjacent the rear bumper of such vehicles. In pickup trucks this elevated brake light is frequently positioned on the rear of the cab adjacent the roof and above the cab rear window. Also in more recent pickup truck models, the assembly which contains the elevated brake light also frequently includes an additional light or lights which may be selectively actuated at the cab dashboard to illuminate the cargo area.
Covers or caps are also available for installation on such pickup truck beds to protect the bed and its cargo from the weather. Where the cover or cap is not elevated any considerable distance above the top of the bed side walls, no provision need be made to provide for the continued functionality of the elevated brake light because the brake light is clearly visible to the rear of the vehicle even with the cover installed. However, where the cover or cap includes a roof which is elevated above the truck bed and side walls to an elevation where it is substantially coplanar with the roof of the vehicle cab, the functionality of the elevated cab brake light and its cargo illumination lights if present is lost because the brake light and/or cargo illumination light is blocked by the roof of the elevated cap. With the loss of this functionality of the brake light, the vehicle would typically be in violation of the legal requirement for the presence of an elevated brake light which is viewable from the rear of the vehicle.
In the past the requirement for the elevated brake light viewable from the rear of the vehicle has been satisfied by positioning another such light at the rear of the cap adjacent the roof and above the rear window of the elevated cap. In order to provide electrical power to that cap brake light, a splice was typically made into the conductor leading to the conventional brake lights at the back of the vehicle. Where illumination of the cargo area was also desired, an additional cargo light or lights were also provided in the interior of the cap. In order to provide power to these cargo lights in the cap, a connection was made either directly to the battery of the vehicle or a splice was made into the conductor leading to the parking lights on the rear of the vehicle.
The need for such splicing into and unsplicing out of these conductors was time consuming, cumbersome and substantially delayed the installation or removal of the cap. Moreover, where the cargo lights in the cap were connected either to the battery or spliced into the conductor leading to the parking lights, separate provision had to be made other than the simple dashboard switch for turning the cargo lights on and off.
In the present invention the bulb sockets in the cab lights are utilized directly to transfer electrical power to the elevated cap brake light at the rear of the cap and, where present, to the cargo illumination light or lights in the cap. In addition, a quick disconnect coupler is also preferably provided in the electrical conductor(s) between the cab light(s) and the cap light(s) which may be quickly connected or disconnected during the installation or removal of the cap. Thus, with the present invention, it is unnecessary to splice and unsplice wires upon installation or removal of the cap from the truck, thereby eliminating time consuming, cumbersome and delaying disadvantages resulting from such splicing. Moreover, in the present invention all of the components are protected from the weather and, where the cargo illumination light is present, it may continue to be operated from the dash board control as was the cargo light in the cab mounted cargo illumination light assembly. And in the present invention, the entire assembly may be installed by the cap manufacturer as part of the cap assembly and may be permanently kept with the cap in its non-installed condition and thereby prevent loss of any of these components.
In one principal aspect of the present invention, a vehicle has a cab and a section to the rear of the cab, a cap which is capable of being positioned on the section to close it, and a first cab light on the cab and facing the section. The first cab light comprises a bulb socket into which a light bulb may be positioned, and a second cap light on the cap. An assembly for transferring electrical power between the first cab and the second cap lights comprises an electrical conductor having one end connected to the second cap light, and a plug adjacent the other end of the conductor. The plug is constructed to be received into the bulb socket of the first cab light when the light bulb has been removed. When the cap is not positioned on the section, the first cab light on the cab is functional, and when the cap is positioned on the section to close it, the second cap light on the cap is capable of being energized through the bulb socket, plug and conductor.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, a method of transferring electrical power between lights on the cab of a vehicle and a cap on the vehicle comprises providing a cab on the vehicle with a first cab light on the rear of the cab, the first cab light including a light bulb socket in which a light bulb is positioned, a section to the rear of the cab, and a cap which is adapted to be installed on the section, the cap including a second cap light thereon. The light bulb is removed from the light bulb socket of the first cab light, and a plug is inserted adjacent an end of an electrical conductor into the light bulb socket, and the electrical conductor is adapted to be connected to the second cap light so that when the cap is installed on the section, electrical power is transmitted from the light bulb socket of the first cab light, through the electrical conductor and to the second cap light.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the first cab light and second cap light are brake lights.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the first cab light and second cap light are capable of illuminating the section of the vehicle.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the first cab light and second cap light are brake lights, a third cab light on the cab faces the section, the third cab light comprising a bulb socket into which a light bulb may be positioned, and the third cab light is capable of illuminating the section when the cap does not close the section. A fourth cap light on the cap is capable of illuminating the section when the cap closes the section. A first electrical conductor has one end connected to the second cap light, and a plug adjacent the other end of the first electrical conductor is constructed to be received into the bulb socket of the first cab light when the light bulb has been removed. A second electrical conductor has one end connected to the fourth cap light, and a plug adjacent the other end of the second conductor constructed to be received into the bulb socket of the third cab light when the light bulb has been removed. When the cap is not positioned on the section, the first and third cab lights on the cab are functional, and when the cap is positioned on the section to close it, the second and fourth cap lights on the cap are electrically energizeable through their respective bulb sockets, plugs and first and second electrical conductors.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the assembly includes a quick disconnect coupler in the electrical conductor or conductors, and the coupler has first and second parts. A first portion of the conductor or conductors extend between the first part of the coupler and the plug or plugs, and a second portion of the conductor or conductors extend between the second part of the coupler to the cap light on the cap. When the cap is not positioned on the section, the cab light or lights on the cab are functional, and when the cap is positioned on the section to close it, the cap light or lights on the cap may be energized through the bulb socket, plug, first portion of the conductor, quick disconnect coupler and second portion of the conductor.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the cab light or lights include a lens cover for the light bulb socket or sockets and light bulb or bulbs. The lens cover and light bulb or bulbs are removed, the plug or plugs adjacent the end of the electrical conductor or conductors are inserted into the light bulb socket or sockets, and the lens cover is replaced on the cab light or lights with the electrical conductor or conductors extending therebeneath and toward the vehicle section
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.